Hide and Shriek

Last updated

Hide and Shriek
Hideandshrieks38LOBBY.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Produced by Hal Roach
Cinematography Norbert Brodine
Edited by William H. Ziegler
Music by Leroy Shield
Distributed by MGM
Release date
  • June 18, 1938 (1938-06-18)
Running time
10 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Hide and Shriek is a 1938 Our Gang short film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 168th Our Gang entry in the series, and the last to involve series creator Hal Roach.

Contents

Plot

Opening his own detective agency, Alfalfa dons a deerstalker cap and rechristens himself "X-10, Sooper Sleuth." His first assignment: to find out who stole a box of candy from Darla. Suspecting that Leonard and Junior are the alleged culprits, Alfalfa and his chief (and only) operatives Buckwheat and Porky put a tail on the two youngsters. Unfortunately, the three junior gumshoes are sidetracked to a seaside amusement pier, where they find themselves trapped in a haunted house attraction.

Darla eventually discovers her candy was right where she left it—in her doll carriage. But it is too late: scared out of their wits by various ersatz ghosts, monsters and spooky moans and groans, the trio vow to give up the detective business forever (as Alfalfa's "Out of Bizzness" sign on the door notes). [1]

Cast

The Gang

Additional cast

Notes

Hide and Shriek was the final entry in producer Hal Roach's Our Gang series and the last short film released overall by the studio. [2] Roach was contracted to produce one more year's worth of Our Gang shorts for MGM, but his distribution deal with other properties expired earlier that year. Roach switched to another studio, United Artists, to distribute his feature films. Our Gang was his only remaining short subject series. As a result, MGM opted to purchase the unit outright, as Our Gang was still popular and MGM wanted to keep the series in production. [2]

Upon arrival at MGM, Our Gang would continue in production until 1944. The MGM entires are considered by several critics, and the Our Gang actors themselves, as lesser entries compared to the Roach shorts. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Bored of Education</i> 1936 film

Bored of Education is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 146th entry in the Our Gang series to be released.

<i>The Little Rascals</i> (film) 1994 family comedy film by Penelope Spheeris

The Little Rascals is a 1994 American family comedy film produced by Amblin Entertainment, and released by Universal Pictures on August 5, 1994. The film is an adaptation of Hal Roach's Our Gang, a series of short films of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s which centered on the adventures of a group of neighborhood children. Directed by Penelope Spheeris, who co-wrote the screenplay with Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur, the film presents several of the Our Gang characters in an updated setting, featuring re-interpretations of several of the original shorts. It is the first collaboration by Guay and Mazur, whose subsequent comedies were Liar Liar and Heartbreakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugene "Porky" Lee</span> American child actor (1933–2005)

Eugene Gordon Lee was an American child actor, most notable for appearing in the Our Gang comedies as Porky from 1935 to 1939. During his tenure in Our Gang, Porky originated the catchphrase "O-tay!", though it is commonly attributed to fellow character Buckwheat, played by Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas.

The following is a complete list of the 220 Our Gang short films produced by Hal Roach Studios and/or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer between 1922 and 1944, numbered by order of release along with production order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Douglas (director)</span> American film director (1907–1993)

Gordon Douglas Brickner was an American film director and actor, who directed many different genres of films over the course of a five-decade career in motion pictures.

<i>Alfalfas Aunt</i> 1939 American film

Alfalfa's Aunt is a 1939 comedy short subject, the 176th entry in the Our Gang series originally created by Hal Roach. Produced by Jack Chertok for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by George Sidney, the one-reel short was released to theaters in January 1939 by MGM.

<i>Our Gang</i> American series of comedy short films

Our Gang is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, also the producer of the Laurel and Hardy films, Our Gang shorts were produced from 1922 to 1944, spanning the silent film and early sound film periods of American cinema. Our Gang is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively natural way; Roach and original director Robert F. McGowan worked to film the unaffected, raw nuances apparent in regular children, rather than have them imitate adult acting styles. The series also broke new ground by portraying white and black children interacting as equals during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation in the United States.

<i>Our Gang Follies of 1938</i> 1937 American film

Our Gang Follies of 1938 is a 1937 American musical short subject, the 161st short subject entry in Hal Roach's Our Gang series. Directed by Gordon Douglas as a sequel to 1935's Our Gang Follies of 1936, the two-reel short was released to theaters on December 18, 1937, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<i>Our Gang Follies of 1936</i> 1935 film

Our Gang Follies of 1936 is a 1935 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 140th Our Gang short to be released and the first of several musical entries in the series.

<i>Pay as You Exit</i> 1936 American film

Pay as You Exit is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 148th Our Gang short that was released.

<i>Mail and Female</i> 1937 film

Mail and Female is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer. It was the 160th Our Gang short that was released.

<i>Came the Brawn</i> 1938 film

Came the Brawn is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 165th entry in the Our Gang series.

<i>Feed em and Weep</i> 1938 American film

Feed 'em and Weep is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 166th Our Gang short that was released.

<i>The Little Ranger</i> 1938 American film

The Little Ranger is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 169th short in the Our Gang series, and the first produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who purchased the rights to the series from creator Hal Roach.

<i>Aladdins Lantern</i> 1938 American film

Aladdin's Lantern is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 171st Our Gang short that was released.

<i>Men in Fright</i> 1938 American film

Men in Fright is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by George Sidney. Produced and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 172nd Our Gang short to be released.

<i>Football Romeo</i> 1938 American film

Football Romeo is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by George Sidney. It was the 173rd Our Gang short that was released.

<i>Cousin Wilbur</i> 1939 American film

Cousin Wilbur is a 1939 Our Gang short comedy film directed by George Sidney. It was the 179th Our Gang short that was released.

<i>Auto Antics</i> 1939 American film by Edward L. Cahn

Auto Antics is a 1939 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Edward Cahn. It was the 182nd Our Gang short that was released.

<i>The Little Rascals Save the Day</i> 2014 American film

The Little Rascals Save the Day is a 2014 American direct-to-video comedy film released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Succeeding the first film, it is the second feature film adaptation of Hal Roach's Our Gang, a series of short films of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s which centered on the adventures of a group of neighborhood children.

References

  1. Hal Erickson (2011). "New York Times: Hide and Shriek". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 Maltin, Leonard and Bann, Richard W. (1977, rev. 1992). The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang. New York: Crown Publishing/Three Rivers Press. ISBN   0-517-58325-9 pp. 4-5, 194-196